Selective telegraph system



jumfi H 11 1M. W. Y. LANG SELECTIVE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM z mw I Filed Jul 6,1944 4 Shets-Sheet 1 M m A lNl ENTOR l w wb mmsw W. Y. LANG SELECTIVETELEGRAPH SYSTEM Filed July 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmw mm mm 33.3%amma muvmm 33 Jam 1% W. Y. LANG KW SELECTIVE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Filed July6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 my. LANG W. Y. LANG 2 37mm SELECTIVE TELEGRAPHSYSTEM Filed July 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Shee'h 4 INVENTOR W. V. LANG UI QNPatented June 12, 1945 2,377,890 SELECTIVE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Wilmarth Y.Lang, Towaco, N. .L, assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationJuly 6, 1944, Serial No. 543,684

18 Claims.

This invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and systems andparticularly to printing telegraph receiving recorders for stations in aselective intercommunicating system.

An object of the invention is to provide instrumentalities in recevingtelegraph recorders for rendering the recorders selectively operative ornon-operative in response to signals.

Another object of the invention is to provide instrumentalities inreceiving telegraph recorders for suppressing recording operations andcertain functional operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide signal responsivemechanical instrumentalities in receiving telegraph recorders forselectively rendering the recording mechanism and certain of thefunction mechanisms non-operative in response to signals receivedfollowing their selective disablement.

The invention features a receiving telegraph recorder which, while atall times responsive to signals, may be selectively precluded fromperforming recording operations in response to received signals, andalso from performing certain functional operations, particularly thosewhich would be undesirable when recording operations are suppressed,such as character spacing, and in the case of page printing recorders,carriage return and line feed operations.

The invention also features a selectively operable instrumentality whichmay be activated when printing and function operations are notsuppressed, for setting in operation a storage transmitter such as amachine transmitter controlled by a, perforated tape.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention theprinting telegraph receiver into which the selective printingsuppression and transmitter control mechanisms have been incorporatedmay be of the type disclosed in Patent 1,904,164 granted April 18, 1933,to S. Morton et al., and the disclosure of this patent is incorporatedherein by reference as a part of this specification, The printer shownin the foregoing patent is provided with a type-basket which moveslongitudinally of a cylindrical page width platen for character spacingand returns to a beginning-of-line position in response to anappropriate selective condition established by a. received signal. Thetype-basket is provided with a set of permutation code bars forselecting the printing elements and these bars are controlled from a setof signal responsive selector vanes through the agency of bell crankswhich are mounted on the type-basket and which have one end forked toembrace and travel along the edge of the selector vanes as thetype-basket moves relative to the platen.

The setting of the selector vanes in accordance with received signals isaccomplished by a permutation code responsive receiving selectormechanism. The permutation code bars carried by the movable type-basketindividually select pull bars that are articulated to the type bars anddrop the pull bars into the path of a printing ball which is cyclicallyoperated under the control of a main cam assembly. For the control ofvarious functions the printing telegraph receiver is provided with a.plurality of selectable function levers which have notch and lugattributes presented toward the selector vanes. The printing bail, inthe initial portion of its movement, permits the function levers to moveinto engagement with the selector vanes and test the setting thereof.When any function lever finds the selector vanes set in accordance withits notch and lug attributes, it moves an additional distance to selector perform the function for which it i pro.. vided. Function levers notfinding the selector vanes set in accordance with their notch and lugattributes are blocked against movement a sufficient distance toinitiate or perform their functions.

In accordance with the present invention, a universal selectabl functionlever differs from the other selectable function levers in that it hasno lugs by which it may be blocked against full movement by the selectorvanes, so that it is movable to its full extent irrespective of thesetting of the vanes. When the universal selectable lever has been movedto its fully operated position it interfere with and blocks the printingbail short of the printing stroke sothat the printing bail cannotoperate a pull bar which may have been selected under the control of thecode bars on the type-basket and thusprinting will be suppressed. Theprinter is provided with a slidably mounted bar which has a normal andan off-normal position. This bar is movable to its off-non mal positionand is restorable to the normal position under the control of certain ofthe selectable function levers. It is provided with a plurality of lugsfor blocking selective movement of some of the selectable functionlevers. One of these lugs is disposed in the path of the universalselectable or print suppression lever when the slidable bar is disposedin the normal position, so that the universal selectable lever will beincapable of moving to its fully operated position and will thus beincapable of blocking the printing bail. The other lugs or wards are sodisposed on the slidable bar that they are moved into blocking relationto certain of the selectable function levers when the slidable bar ismoved to its oi!- normal position. Among the selectable function leverswhich become blocked when the sliclable bar is in the off-normalpositions are those controlling the carriage return and line feedoperations. When a plurality of telegraph stations each having a printeras described above are associated with a communication channel, any oneof the stations desiring to communicate with one or more of the otherstations to the exclusion of the remainder of the stations may do so bysending the proper signals to cause the slidable bar at the stationswhich are to be excluded to be shifted to the off-normal position. Atthe excluded stations the selector mechanism will respond to signalsthereafter transmitted on the communication channel and those functionsthe selectable levers of which have not been blocked out by the slidablebar will be performed, which will be an idle operation, but messagematerial corresponding to signals transmitted will not be printed at thexcluded stations. At the conclusion of the message transmission asignal -is transmitted which causes the slidable blocking bar at theexcluded stations to be restored to normal condition, thus restoring theentire system to the initial condition in which any one of the stationsis qualified to establish exclusive communication with one or more ofthe other stations.

As an additional featur of the invention any or each station may beprovided with a machine transmitter such as a transmitter controlled byperforated tape. The prepared tape may include signals for selectivelyexcluding those stations of the system for which the message materialcontained in the tape i not intended. Any station in the system may sendsignals for selectively starting the tape transmitter local to thatstation I or located at any other station, and the tape For a completeunderstanding of the invention reference 'may be had to the followingdetailed description to be interpreted in the light of the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showin an all-mechanical printingsuppression mechanism for affording selective intercommunication betweenstations of a telegraph system;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view partly in perspective showing an alternativeform of all-mechanical printing suppression mechanism and including anarrangement for selectively starting a storage transmitter;

Fig. 3 is a. schematic perspective view showing an electromechanicalarrangement for selectively suppressing printing;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the receiving printer intowhich the present invention has been incorporated; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing one arrangement of universalselectable lever and function lever blocking elements.

Referring now to th drawings and particularly to Fig. 4 the referencenumeral ll indicates a selector magnet the armature l2 of which iscarried by a selector lever l3 pivoted at it. As is fully disclosed inthe Morton et al. patent the selector lever l3 controls a plurality ofsword levers I3 which are individually articulated to bell cranks I'Ipivoted at l8 and individually rocked in counter-clockwise directiononce in each receiving cycle by cams i3, one of which is shown in Fig.4, included in a receiving selector cam assembly mounted on andfrictionally driven by a power driven shaft 2|. Upon being retracted bytheir bell crank levers H, the sword levers ii are rocked into extremeclockwise or counterclockwise position depending upon the position ofarmature lever l3 as determined by selector magnet I I, and when theyare shifted rightwardly by their bell cranks I! as the bell cranks arerestored to extreme clockwise position by their individual springs 22,the sword levers rock associated T-levers 23 into extreme clockwise orcounter-clockwise position depending upon the rotative position intowhich the sword levers have been rocked under the control of th selectormagnet. The T-levers 23 are articulated by means of disc and slotconnections to individual selector vanes 24 that are pivotally supportedat their opposite ends by trunnions 28 (Figs, 1, 2, 3 and 4) A movabletype-basket, full structural details of which are shown in the Morton etal. patent, supports permutationally notched code bar 27 that areindividually connected to the selector vanes 24 by bell cranks 23, aportion of one of which is shown in Fig. f1. The upwardly extending armof each bell crank 28 engages one of the code bars 27 and a laterallyextending arm of each bell crank 28 terminates in a bifurcated portion29 which straddles the edge of a selector vane and remains in engagementwith the vane while moving along its edge as the type-basket moves forcharacter spacing and carriage return operations. The type-basketpivotally supports a plurality of type-bars 3| which have rack andpinion connection with individual selectable pull bars 32 the foremostends of which are disposed above and in close proximity to the code bars21. The pull bars 32 are normally supported with their foremost endsjust out of engagement with the code bars 21 by engagement of a slopingcam surface on the lower edge of each pull bar 32 with a blade 33carried by a reciprocable printing ball 34 which is mounted on thetype-basket. Each of the pull bars 32 is provided with a hook 35 nearthe upper end of the sloping cam surface so that when the printing ball34 is reciprocated rightwardly as viewed in Fig. 4 and the right-handend of the pull bars 32 moves downwardly into engagement with the codebars 21, any pull bar which finds an alignment of notches presented toit by the code bars will move still farther downwardly at its right-handend into the alignment of notches, bringing its hook 35 into the path ofblade 33 of printing bail 3| so that as the bail continues to movefarther to the right blade 33 will engage the selected pull bar andreciprocate it rightwardly, thusrocking the associated type-bar 3! incounter-clockwise direction to bring its type-carrying face into'printing engagement with the paper carried by a. printing platen 33.

Printing bail 34 is provided with 8. depending stud 31 which rotatablysupports a roller 38 disposed between a pair of blades 33 supported atthe upper end of a printing bail operating arm II. The roller 33 andblades 33 provide for operative engagement between printing bail 34 andoperating arm 4| throughout the path of travel of the type-basket bywhich printing ball 34 is supported. Operating arm 4| which is supportedon rock shaft 42 is urged in clockwise direction by a tension spring 43which supplies the power for operating the arm 4| and thus the ball 34.A printing cam 44 which is included in the main cam assembly carried byshaft 2| is engaged by a roller 46 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) carried by apivoted lever 41 the upper end of which supports an abutment screw 48whichengages the right-hand side of the right-hand one of the operatingarm blades 39 as viewed in Fig. 4. The cam 44 operates through lever 41to restore operating arm 4| to extreme counter-clockwise position and tohold it in said position in the idle condition of the apparatus. Whenthe main cam assembly is released for rotation by the receiving selectorcam assembly a sharp drop off of the cam 44 permits the spring 43 torock printing bail operating arm 4| sharply in clockwise direction toeffect the printing operation, and during the remainder of the cycle oftheir performance than the springs 59 can supply, or the performance ofwhich should be prolonged over a greater interval than that involved inthe rocking of its function lever to the extreme clockwise position asviewed in Fig. 4. are performed by a function bail 6| supported byoperating arms 52 journaled on rock shaft 42. Associated with one of thefunction bail operat ing arms 82 is a cam follower lever arm 63 whichsupports at its free end a roller 64 which engages cam 66 included inthe main cam assembly.

When the main cam assembly is rotated the ers of the type shown in theMortion et al. patthe-main cam assembly the cam 44 restores operatingarm 4| to extreme counter-clockwise position which in turn restores bail34 to its unoperated position.

Although only one printing bail operating arm 4| has been referred to inthe foregoing paragraph it will be understood there are at least twosuch arms located near the ends of rock shaft 42 and that there may beothers intermediate those two. Associated with the end ones of the arms4| are brackets 5| (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) interconnected by a bar 52supporting the ends of the function selection control rod.

permutation code combinations of lugs and notches in registry withmarking or spacing positions cf the rear edges of the selector vanes ininverse relation to the code to which the function lever is to beresponsive. When the selector vanes are positioned in accordance withthe code to which a selectable function lever is vented by bar 53carried by brackets 5| associated with the print bail operating arm. Therod 53 cooperates with a cam portion of the rear arm of each of thefunction levers. When the printing bail operating arm 4| is operated byspring 43 the rod 53 is moved downwardly along the cam surface of therear arm of each function lever and permits the function lever to rockin clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 to test the setting of theselector vanes 24. Any function lever which finds no selector vaneblocking its lugs will be rocked in clockwise direction by itsassociated spring 59 to perform or initiate its assigned function as thecase may be.

Those functions which require more power for ent are the motor stoplever 66, line feed lever 61, letters or unshift lever 68. unshift onspace lever 69. audible signal (bell) lever H, carriage return lever l2,figures or shift lever 13, universal lever I4 and vane lock lever I6.Special function levers controlling functions pertaining to, the presentinvention are the print and space suppression lever 8|, end-of-messagelever 82, individual call lever 83, group call lever 84 and transmitterstartlever 86. Of the levers enumerated above all have individualarrangements of coding lugs and notches for individual selection exceptthe print and space suppression lever 8|, universal lever 14 and vanelock lever 86. Levers 14 and 8| have no code lugs and may rock to thefully selected position irrespective of the setting of the selectorvanes 24. As is fully disclosed in the Morton et al. patent the vanelock lever has notches opposite the marking and spacing positions of theedges of the selector vanes 24 for locking them during a selectingoperation.

In addition to the five selector vanes 24, there is a sixth vane 81.This vane is not controlled by individual received signal impulses asare the vanes 24 but is controlled by the shift and unshift functionlevers l3 and 68, respectively. As is fully disclosed in the Morton etal. patent, when the receiving printer has been placed in the unshift orletters condition under the control of the letters function lever 68,the sixth vane 81 is presented in extreme clockwise position which is asshown in Fig. 4. When the receiving printer is placed in the shift orfigures condition under the control of the shift function lever 13, thesixth vane 81 is rocked to extreme counter-clockwise position, whichposition corresponds to that of the lowermost of the selector vanes 24in Fig. 4, and it remains in this position until the receiving printeris restored to the unshift or letters condition.

The purpose of the sixth vane 81 is to restrict the selection of anydesired function lever to a particular case shift condition of thereceivin printer. This is accomplished by providing a notch in thefunction lever opposite the position occupied by the edge of the vane81, when that vane is disposed in accordance with the case'shiftcondition of the receiving printer in which the function lever isto be selectable. For example, it may be desired that the end-of-messagefunction lever 82 shall be selectable in respouse to the upper case orshift selective condition of the letter H. The lowermost notch in thisfunction lever will accordingly be disposed opposite the positionoccupied by the vane 81 when that vane occupies the extremecounterclockwise or shift position. With the vane 81 occupying thisposition and the selector vanes positioned in accordance with the codecombination representing the letter H; the function lever 82 will not beblocked by any of the vanes 24 or 81 but will be capable of rocking toits fully selected position. When the code combination for the letter His received, with the vane 81 rocked to its extreme clockwise or lettersposition, the function lever 82 will be incapable of rocking to thefully selected position in response to the selective condition presentedto it by the five selector vanes 24 because it will be blocked by thesixth vane 8'3.

In accordance with the present invention the receiving printer isprovided with a bar 9| slidably supported on pins 92 extending throughslots 93. In the idle condition of the receiving printer bar 9| occupiesits extreme left-hand position. Bar 9i pivotally supports in registrywith the print and space suppression function lever 8|, a blocking ward94 which is drawn against stop pin 96 by spring 91 so that it is capableof rocking only in clockwise direction. Bar 9| is also provided withpivotally mounted blocking ward 98 disposed just out of registry withcarriage return function lever 12 and drawn against stop pin 99 byspring I M. Pin 99 is disposed to the right of blocking ward 98 so thatthe ward is capable of rocking only in counter-clockwise clirection. Bar9| is also provided with fixed blocking ward I02 just out of registrywith group cell function lever 84, fixed blocking ward I93 just out ofregistry with individual call function lever 83 and fixed blocking wardsI04 and I06 (Fig. just out of registry with audible signal functionlever II and line feed function lever 61, respectively. Thus withSlidable bar 9I presented in the normal. position only the print andspace suppression function lever BI is blocked by it and all of theother function levers are selectable in the normal manner.

Bar 52 associated with the printing bail is provided with a forwardlyextending arm III! which carries an upturned flange I08 overlying thetop of the rear arm of the print and space suppression function lever8I. With function lever 8I blocked against operation by blocking ward94, flange I08 moves down in front of the rear arm of lever 8I when theprinting bail is operated, function lever 8| being prevented by ward 94from coming forward under the control of rod 53. When blocking ward 94is moved clear of function lever 8I under circumstances which will bedescribed hereinafter, the function lever will be free to move forwardas bar 53 rides down the sloping portion of the forward edge of the reararm of the function lever. When rod 53 has reached the bottom of thisslope on the edge of the rear arm of function lever 8|, the lever willhave reached its fully operated position and will have brought the upperend of the rear arm underneath flange I08 to arrest the entire printingbail structure sufliciently short of its full operating stroke toprevent blade 33 of the printing bail 84 (Fig. 4) from operating any oneof the pull bars 32 which may have been selected by code bars 21. Thusthe printing of a character on the type bar 3| associated with any pullbar 32 that may have been selected will be prevented and printing willbe suppressed. As is fully disclosed in the Morton et al. patent,character spacing is controlled by the printing bail mechanism, thetype-basket carriage being moved one character space longitudinally ofplaten 38 for each full operation of the printing bail.

Flange I 08 when it engages the top of the rear arm of function lever 8|so limits the operation of the printing bail mechanism that thecharacter spacing mechanism is not operated so that spacing issuppressed as well as printing.

Slidable bar 9| is movable rightwardly to move blocking ward 94 out ofregistry with function lever 8| and to move the other blocking wardsinto registry with their respective function levers by three-armed leverIII pivoted at H2. The upwardly extending arm of lever III is disposedin a slot in slidable bar 9i. The leftwardly extending arm of lever IIIis disposed beneath a forwardly extending arm H3 of function lever 82 adistance equal to the amount of travel of the free end of arm H3 oflever 82 from its unoperated to its fully operated position. Therightwardly extending arm of lever III has a laterally extending portiondisposed below a forwardly extending arm lid of function lever I2 by adistance equal to the width of the wide end portion of an interponentbar IE6. The wide end portion of bar II 6 rests on the laterallyextending portion of the right-hand arm of lever III and the left-handend of interponent H6 is pivoted to the upper end of arm II? of a leverII8 pivoted at H9. The rightwardly extending arm of lever Iii isdisposed beneath the forwardly extending arms IZI and I22 of individualand group call function levers 93 and 86, respectively. The leftwardlyextending arm of lever H8 has an upwardly extending portion at its endwhich terminates at the same level as the leftwardly extending arm oflever III beneath the forwardly extending arm of end-ofmessage functionlever 82.

Before proceeding with the description of the operation of levers IIIand M9 the communication system of which the receiving printer is a partwill be described. The selector magnet II for controlling the receivingprinter is connected in series with a set of transmitting contacts I26which may be keyboard operated, and with a break key I2I in a way-wireor party line communication channel I28 which includes telegraph batteryI29. The way-wire communication channel I28 may include a plurality ofsimilar etations, two of which are indicated by the reference numeralsI3I and I32. It will be apparent that with the selector magnets andtransmitting contacts of all of the stations connected in the line inseries, signals may be transmitted by the transmitting contacts at anyof the stations and will be received by the selector magnets at all ofthe stations.

Assume that the system is in the idle condition and that the stationhaving selector magnet II desires to communicate with station I3I to theexclusion of station I32. The attendant operates transmiting contactsI26 to transmit the code combination for the selection of the individualcell function lever 83 at his own station. This function lever uponbeing selected rocks to its fully operated position and by means of itsforwardly extending arm I 2| rocks lever H8 in clockwise direction aboutpivot II9. An overcentering spring I33 is distended between spring postI34 carried by arm I" of lever H8 and a fixed spring mounting, and aslever II8 rocks to clockwise position the axis of spring I33 movesacross the axis of pivot pin II8 from left to right and holds lever H8operated to clockwise position. The upwardly extending portion of theleft-hand arm of lever II8 moves upwardly andsubstantially closes thegap between itself and the end of the forwardly extending arm N3 ofend-of-message function lever 82. The arm II! of lever II8 movesinterponent bar IIB to the right, moving the wide end portion out frombetween the forwardly extending arm of function lever I2 and thelaterally extending portion of the right-hand arm of lever l l l.

The attendant next transmits the code combination for the operation of alever corresponding to the lever II8 at station ill. The lever atstation I32 corresponding to the lever lid is not operated. Thereafterthe attendant transmits the code combination for the selection offunction lever l2 and this lever is selected and operated at all of thestations. At the stations which have had their levers lit operated toclockwise position the widened end portion of interponent bar l l t ismoved away from arm I! ll of function lever ll and the arm lit cannotimport movement to the right-hand arm of lever ill because it does notcome into engagement with the narrow portion of interponent bar lituntil it has subs-tantially reached its fully operated position. At thestation I32 the interponent bar corresponding to bar i It has remainedunoperated and its widened end portion occupies the full space betweenarm lit of lever 12 and the laterally extending portion of theright-hand arm of lever i ll. With this condition the function lever lloperates, through its arm M4, the wide portion of interponent bar H6 and.the left-hand arm of lever ill to rock that lever in clockwisedirection and thus to shift bar 9| at station M2 to its extremeright-hand position. By this operation blocking ward 94 at station I3?!is moved out of registry with the print and space suppression functionlever BI and all of the other blocking wards are moved into registrywith their respective function levers. It is to be noted that thefunction lever I2 has the pivoted blocking ward 98. .A fixed blockingward could not be employed because function lever I2 is theinstrumentality for shifting bar 9| to its extreme right-hand positionand the ward would move into engagement with the left-hand side offunction lever I2, thus blocking further movement of bar 9| and throughit further movement of function lever I2. With the pivotally mountedblocking ward 9B the ward rocks in counter-clockwise direction, springIlll permitting this movement, and when function lever I2, havingreached its fully operated position, is retracted by rod 53 associatedwith the printing bail structure, spring IIJI draws pivoted blockingward 38 into position against stop pin 99, blocking function lever I2against being selected and operated.

This completes the operations necessary to qualify any two or morestations selectively and to exclude the other stations. IAt the stationhaving the selector magnet II and at station I3I, bar 9| remainsunoperated, function lever BI remains blocked against'movement intoprint and space suppressing position, and none of the otherfunction'levers is blocked. At station I32 and all other'excludedstations,'function' lever BI is unblocked, and in response to eachsignal combination transmitted over the line function lever 8| movesforward as the printing bail begins to operate and blocks the printingbail short of printing and spacing operation thus preventing theprinting of characters in response to received signals and alsopreventing character spacing operation of the type-basket carriage. Thefunctions that are suppressed at the excluded station are carriagereturn, by means of blocking ward 98, line feed, by means of blockingward I06 (Fig. 5) individual call function, by means of blockin wardI03, group call function, by means of blocking ward I02 and audiblesignal bell function, by means of ward I04. With line feed suppressedblank paper will not be advanced past the printing position as the paperis fed at the stations which are participating in intercommunication.With the individual and group call function levers blocked the selectormechanisms at the excluded stations are prevented from seeking tocondition their receiving printers for participation in thecommunication in response to their selective signals occurring in themessage material transmitted between the participating stations. Withthe carriage return function lever 72 blocked, not only are attemptedcarriage return operations responsive to the carriage return signalsuppressed but the carriage return function lever lit is prevented fromrepeatedly operating into engagement with the wide portion ofinterponent bar MB. A detent spring I36 cooperates with notches in theslidable bar M to hold the bar in either the normal or the off-normalposition; Bar ill is provided with a projection i371 which engages theoperating spring of a pair of contacts new when bar at is moved to therighthand or ofi-normal position to close the contacts lit. Thecontacts, upon being closed, short circuit the transmitting contacts andthe break key so that at the excluded station operation of thetransmitting contacts or the break key cannot interfere with signaltransmission on channel lit.

The printers are restorable to the normal or idle condition by theoperation of the end-ofmessage function lever 82. This function lever isselectable in response to a particular code combination and, inaddition, is blocked most of the time at all stations by blocking leverI lI pivoted at H42. A link M3 has its left-hand end pivoted to blockinglever Itl and has at its right-hand end a laterally extending portion M3disposed between leaf springs I44 carried by the vertical arm of aT-lever M6. T-lever I46 has its lefthand horizontal arm disposed underforwardly extending arm Ml of figure shift function lever I3 and has itsright-hand horizontal arm disposed below the undercut end of theforwardly extending arm I48 of universal selectable lever I4 which, likethe print and space suppression function lever 8i, has no code notchesor lugs presented toward the selector vanes 24 and the sixth vane 81,and is operable to its fully operated position in each receiving cycleof the receiving printer irrespective of whether printing is suppressedor permitted. Spring I49 for operating figures shift function lever I3is stronger than spring I5I for operating universal selectable lever I4.When the figures shift combination is transmitted over channel I28 andis received at all stations the figures shift function levers I3 at allstations operate to their fully operated position. At the same time theuniversal selectable lever 14 is permitted to operate. Lever I3 seeks tooperate T-lever I46 to extreme counter-clockwise position and lever 14seeks to operate T-lever I46 to extreme clockwise position. Since springI49 is stronger than spring I5I, lever 13 prevails and rocks T-lever I46to extreme countar-clockwise position. Lever I46 is provided with anovercentering spring I82 which holds the T-lever in extreme position ineither direction.-

As T-lever I48 is rocked to extreme counterclockwise position it moveslink I42 rightwardly thus withdrawing the blocking shoulder of lever Ifrom the operating path of arm II3 of endof-message function lever 62.With lever I4I withdrawn from blocking relation to lever 82, the latterlever is operable in response to the end-ofmessage code. In operating toits fully operated position in response to that code it engages theright-hand arm of lever III and the right-hand arm of lever II8 andrestores these two levers to their extreme counter-clockwise positions,thus restoring slidable bar 8I to normal or extreme left-hand positionand restoring the wide portion of interponent bar IIG to its normalposition between the arm II4 of carriage return function lever I2 andthe laterally extending portion of the right-hand arm of lever I I I. Atthe stations which had participated in the communication, only the leverII8 had been operated to extreme clockwise position, the lever IIIhaving remained in extreme counter-clockwise position and, accordingly,onlythe lever II8 is restored, the overcentering spring I38 holding itin the restored position. At the stations which had been excluded fromparticipation in the communication, only the lever III had been rockedto extreme clockwise position, the lever II8 remaining in extremecounter-clockwise position and, accordingly, only the lever III isrestored at those stations.

At the stations at which printing had been suppressed the print andspace suppression function lever 8I has not been blocked and accordinglyit moves to its fully operated position along with end-of-messagefunction lever 82 as the latter restores slidable bar 8| to itsleft-hand or normal position. Pivoted blocking ward 94 permits themovement of slidable bar 9 I, by yielding as it encounters the side oflever 8I during the operation of the lever. Upon the restoration oflever 8I to unoperated position by rod 83 spring 91 snaps blocking ward84 into blocking relation to lever 8 I.

It will be noted that universal selectable lever 14 operatesconcurrently with end-of-message function lever 82 during therestoration of slidable bar 8i to normal position. Since the figuresshift function lever I8 does not operate at this time the T-lever I48 isacted upon only the universal selectable lever I4 and accordingly thislever restores the T-lever I46 to its clockwise position. Lever I48seeks to move link I42 leftwardly to restore blocking lever I toblocking relation to arm II8 of end-of-message function lever 82 but asthe latter lever is in process of being operated blocking lever I4Iencounters the side of arm I I3 of lever 82 and further movement of linkI42 leftwardly is prevented. The righthand leaf spring I44 of lever I46yields and permits T-lever I46 to be operated fully to its clockwiseposition although leftward movement of link I42 is prevented.Overcentering spring I52 passes across the axis of pivotal movement oflink I42 and blocking lever I is moved into blocking relation to arm II8of lever 82.

Assume now that figures shift lever I8 had been operated not inpreparation for operation of end-of-message function lever 82 but thatit had operated in response to figures shift signal transmitted as partof the message being transmitted between the participating stations, asfor the recording of figures as part of the message, Figures shift lever18 and the universal selectable lever I4 would operate concurrently aspreviously described, lever I8 prevailing over lever I4 and rockingT-lever I48 to extreme count r-clockwise position at all stations, thusunblocking end-of-message function lever 82. The next signal transmittedmight represent a figure or any selected condition except that to whichthe end-of-message functionlever 82 is responsive. Under thesecircumstance the universal selectable lever I4 would be operatedincident to the reception of such code but the function lever 18 wouldnot be operated. Universal selectable lever I4, in operating, wouldrestore T-lever I46 to clockwise position and would restore blockinglever I to blocking relation to arm II3 of endof-message function lever82. If thereafter the code combination for the selection ofend-ofmessage function lever should be inadvertently transmitted whilethe printers remained in the shift or figures condition, selectablefunction lever 82 would not be operated in response to the selectivecondition presented to it because it would be prevented from operatingby blocking lever I. The provision of the arrangement for operation ofT-lever I48 to counter-clockwise position by the differential control oflevers I3 and I4 and for the restoration of T-lever I46 to clockwiseposition by lever I4 operating alone assures the operation ofend-of-message function lever 82 only in response to a specific sequenceof code combinations, namely, the figures shift code for selecting andoperating its function lever I8 followed by the end-of-message code forselecting and operating end-of-message function lever 82. Should anyother code intervenethese two, the universal selectable lever I4 willoperate in response to such code to restore r-lever I46 to clockwiseposition, restoring blocking lever I to blocking relation to functionlever 82. With this arrangement it is immaterial whether function lever82 is notched to be selectable only when the sixth vane 81 is presentedin the figures shift position, in which position the edge of vane 81presented toward the func-' tion levers is in its lower position, orwhether function lever 82 is notched so that vane 81 will not block itin either position. The combination of elements comprising blockinglever I, link I42, T-lever I46 and function levers 13 and I4 preventsoperation of function lever 82 except when the end-of-message codefollows the figures shift code without any other code intervening.

With slidable bar 8| restored to its extreme left-hand position detentspring I38 detents the bar in this position by engaging the outer notchand projection I81 moves'away from the operating springs of contactsI88, permitting them to reopen to remove the shunt around transmittingcontacts I28 and break key I21 at the excluded stations. In this way allof the stations have been restored to the initial or idle condition.

If instead of desiring to communicate only I transmit the individualcall code combination or any of the stations. Instead, it would havebeen necessary to transmit only a single code combination whichls thegroup station call and eflects the selection of group cell functionlever 84. The notch and lug attributes of the group call function leversat all stations are identical so that those levers are selected andoperated in response to the group call code combination. At each stationthe group call function lever 34 operates through its forwardlyextending arm I22 upon lever H8 in the same manner that the differentlycoded individual call function levers 83 operate, to rock lever 8 toextreme clockwise position and move the wide endportion of interponentbar 6 out of motion transmitting relation between arm ill of lever 12and the lateral projection of the right-hand arm of threearmed leverIll. Under these circumstances it is not necessary to transmit thecarriage return code signal which also serves as the lock-out or stationexcluding signal, as previously described, unless for the purposeof-actually performing a carriage return operation at all stations,because slidable bar Si is not to be shifted to its righthand oroff-normal position at any station and, accordingly, there is nooperation to be performed by the forwardly extending arm iii! ofcarriage return function lever it. As a practical matter there is noobjection to providing, as a standard operating procedure in connectionwith individual station calling operations or group station callingoperations, that the carriage return function lever "it shall beoperated as a part of the routine of setting up any communicationcondition, whether individual or group signaling condition. I

The provision for operation of slidable bar ill by the carriage returnfunction lever i is a matter of convenient utilization of the selectivepossibilities of the permutation code. It is a usual custom to transmitcarriage return before message transmission is started in order that thecharacters at all of the printers shall be brought into correspondingpositions with message recording starting at the beginning of a line. Bytying in the enablement of the print and space suppression functionlever 0i and the disablement of certain other function levers withvthecarriage return function lever, it does not become necessary to allot aseparate code for this purpose. Furthermore, the arm iii of lever itoperates idly at stations participating in communication when thecarriage return function lever is operated to trip the carriage returnlever I53 at the end of each line of message material transmitted,because at those stations the wide end portion of interponent bar H0 ismoved out of motion transmitting rela tion between arm iii and theright-hand arm of lever ill so that the slidable bar 9| will not beshifted to disable the printers participating in the messagetransmission. At the excluded stations the carriage return functionlever 12 is blocked by blocking ward 98 so that the carriage returnoperation will be suppressed although this operation, if permitted,would be idle because character spacing is suppressed by the print andspace suppression function lever 8| and the carriages remain in theirbeginningof-line position.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the function leversl3 and 14 are not employed in the selective exclusion of stations fromparticipating in telegraphic intercommunicagroup station call functionlever 86 have indi-' vidual forwardly extending arms 20! and 202,respectively, which terminate above the horizontally extending arm of abell crank lever 200, pivoted at 204 and urged in clockwise direction byspring206. Spring 206 normally holds the vertically extending arm ofhell crank 203 against a fixed stop 20! which limits the clockwisemovement of hell crank 203. At the upper endof the vertical arm of bellcrank lever 200 an interponent bar 200 is pivotally connected.Interponent bar 200 rests on the laterally extending portion of theright-hand arm of a three-armed lever 200 and is provided with a wideportion disposed in motion transmitting relation between the forwardlyextending arm iii of carriage return function lever 12 and theright-hand arm of lever 200. When either of the function levers at and Mis operated for individual or group station selection, bell crank lever200 is rocked in; counter-clockwise direction about pivot 200 and movesinterponent bar 000 leftwardly to retract the wide portion thereof outof motion transmitting relation between arm 2ii of function lever it,and the right-hand arm of lever 200. A latch M2 for bell crank 203 ispivoted at 2i3 and is urged in clockwise direction against the end ofthe horizontally extending arm of bell crank 200 by spring ti l. Whenbell crank 200 is operated counter-clockwise by either of the functionlevers 0t and M the free end of its horizontally extending arm movesclear of the latching shoulder of latch m, permitting spring 2M to rocklatching lever 212 clockwise and block or latch bell crank 200 in theextreme counter-clockwise or operated position. Following the selectiveoperation of function levers 03 or 00 at the stations which are beingselected for participation in message transmission and reception, thecarriage return code combination is transmitted and this causes thefunction lever it. to be operated at all stations. At the stations atwhich the bell crank lever 203 has not been operated to extreme counterclockwise position and latched the wide portion of interponent bar 200will be disposed between arm ill of function lever i0 and therightwardly extending arm of three-armed lever 209 and this lever willbe rocked in clockwise direction. having their bell crank levers 203operated to counter-clockwise position the wide portion of interponentbar 208 will be retracted out of motion transmitting relation betweenarm 2!! of function lever l2 and the rightwardly extending arm of lever209 and no movement will be imparted to the lever 200.

The upwardly extending arm of lever 209 is articulated to blocking bar9! and shifts the bar from its extreme left-hand to the extremerighthand position. This removes blocking ward 94 from blocking relationto print and space suppression function lever 8| and permits that leverto rock into blocking relation to the printing bail operating mechanismin subsequent re- At the stations ceiving cycles. Blocking ward I03moves into blocking relation to individual call function lever 63 andblocking ward I02 moves into blocking relation to group call functionlever 84 and these levers are prevented from being selected. Blockingward 96 moves into blocking relation to carriage return function lever12 and prevents that function lever from being selected thereafter. Ifthe blocking bar 9I is provided with blocking wards I04 and I06 shown inFig. for blocking bell function lever H and line feed function lever 61,respectively, those function levers will be prevented from responding totheir selecting signals thereafter received. At the stations which havebeen conditioned for participation in message transmission andreception, at which the blocking bar 9| has not been shifted, only theprint and space suppression function lever 8I will be blocked and thisfunction lever will not interfere with the normal printing operation.

The stations may be restored to the normal or idle condition by thetransmission of the end-ofmessage code combination to which functionlever 92, is responsive. The forwardly extending arm of this lever isprovided with two parallel arms, one of which is disposed above theupwardly extending free end of the right-hand arm of three-armed lever209 and the other of which is disposed above an adjustable abutmentscrew 2" carried by latching lever 2I2. Upon the operation ofend-of-message function lever 82 the upper arm 2" thereof restoresthree-armed lever 209 to extreme counter-clockwise position, thusshifting blocking bar 9| to its left-hand position at those stationswhich-have been excluded from participation in message transmission, Thelower arm 2I8 of function lever 82 rocks latching lever 2I2 incounter-clockwise direction to release the bell crank lever 203 forrestoration to normal position by its spring 206 at stations which havebeen participating in the message transmission. With bell crank lever203 so restored the wide portion of interponent bar 208 is restored toeffective position between arm 2| I of function lever 12 and theright-hand arm of three-armed lever 209. As shown in the lowerright-hand corner of Fig. 2 the station may have in addition to key-.board transmitter I26 a tape transmitter disfrom motor 229 throughfriction clutch 23I and gears 232 and 233. Shaft 228 has secured theretoa stop cam 234 which is engageable with armature lever 236 of startmagnet 231 for arrestment of cam 234 and shaft 228 when the start magnet231 is deenergized. The transmitter of this unit comprises tape sensingcontact tongues 2 which sense perforations in a perforated tape 242 andselectively engage transmitting contacts connected to the segments ofthe distributor, under the control of the perforations in the tape. Tapefor controlling the transmission of signals may be prepared by means ofkeyboard perforator 243 which may be of the type shown in Patent1,182,179, granted May 9, 1916, to C. L. Krum et al. The disclosure ofthe Krum et al. patent is incorporated herein by reference as part ofthe present specification.

as'maoo A conductive path including start magnet 231 is traced from theupper terminal of a source of break signal, conductor 261, winding ofrelay 266.

conductor 269 to one of the contact springs of a normally open pair ofcontacts 26I. From the other spring a path is traced through conductor262 to the lower terminal of power source 246. A path to the lowercontact spring of contact 26I is also traced from the upper terminal ofpower source 246 through resistor 263, manually operable switch 262,tape out contacts 263, conductor 264, send-receive-break contact 266,conductor 261, winding of relay 268 and conductor 263 to the lowercontact spring 26I.

Contacts 26I are closable momentarily by a transmitter starting functionlever 86 when the wide portion of an interponent bar 2" is disposedbetween the forwardly extending arm 212 of function lever 86 and theupper contact spring of contacts 26I. Interponent bar 21I is pivoted tothe end of a link 213 which is pivoted to the upwardly extending arm ofa three-armed lever 214 and is supported near its right-hand end by apin 216 disposed in slot 211. Interponent bar 21I is urged incounterclockwise direction by spring 218 against a stop 219 carried bylink 213. Interponent bar 2" is thus capable of rocking in clockwisedirection upon its pivotal mounting on link 213 under the control oftransmitter starting function lever 86 to close contacts 26I while link213 remains in a fixed plane.

The right-hand arm of three-armed lever 214 is disposed under theforwardly extending arm 2II of carriage return function lever 12 withoutany intermediate interponent link, so that threearmed lever 214 willinvariably be rocked in clockwise direction when function lever 12 isoperated, to move link 213 rightwardly, thereby moving the wide portionof interponent bar 21I out of motion transmitting relation between arm212 of function lever 86 and contact 26 I. The left-hand arm ofthree-armed lever 214 is disposed beneath the upper arm 2I1 ofend-of-message lever 82 so that three-armed lever 214 will be restoredto extreme counter-clockwise position upon the transmission ofend-of-message signal, thus restoring link 213 to its leftward positionand restoring the wide portion of interponent bar 21I to motiontransmitting relation between arm 212 of function lever 86 and contact26I. A detent spring 26I cooperates with either of two notches in link213 to retain the link in its left-hand or right-hand position until thelink is moved to the other position by three-armed lever 214.

The transmitter starting function lever, exemplified by lever 86, isindividually coded at each of the stations associated with communicationchannel! I23 so that the tape transmitter distributors at two stationscannot be started simultaneously in response to a single selecting codecombination. The transmitter starting function levers will be effectiveto operate contacts 26I only when the system is in the idle conditionwith the blocking bars 9I at all of the staasvaeeo tions shifted totheir left-handpositions, because upon the operation of carriage returnfunction lever 12 following the qualifying of certain stations by theselective operation of their function levers 83 or 84, three-armed lever214 will be rocked to extreme clockwise position at all stations toshift link 213 rightwardly and remove the wide portion of interponentbar from effective relation between arm 212 of function lever 88 andcontacts 28I. With the stations in the idle condition any one of thestations may transmit a code combination to start its own tapetransmitter distributor or that of any other station. Assume, forexample, that at the station shown in detail in Fig. 2, a message hasbeen perforated in tape 242 which is to be transmitted to station 23Iand that switch 252 has been closed, the tape has been placed in thetransmitterdistributor so that tape out contacts 253 are closed and thatthere is a sufficient loop of tape between keyboard perforator 243 andthe transmitter to permit taut tape contacts 248 to be closed. Keyboardtransmitter I28 may be operated to effect the transmission of codes forthe selection of individual call function lever 83 in Fig. 2 and theselection of the corresponding function lever at station I 3| Thereafterthe transmitting contacts I28 are operated to effect the selection offunction lever 88 at the station shown in detail in Fig. 2. Thisfunction lever operates and rocks interponent bar 21! in clockwisedirection to close contacts 26l momentarily. These contacts complete theenergizing circuit for start magnet 231 of transmitter distributor 228and relay 258 in series with manually operable switch 252, tape outcontacts 253 and taut tape contacts 248. The armature and front contactof relay 258 close a path in shunt with contacts 28I and in substitutiontherefor to hold relay 258 and start magnet 231 energized upon theopening of contacts 28I.

The first code combination in tape 242 should be the carriage returncode combination which is used as the lock-out or disabling function andwhich causes three-armed lever 289 to be rocked in clockwise directionat all stations except that shown in detail in Fig. 2 and the stationl3], and which also causes three-armed lever 214 to be rocked toclockwise position at all stations. At the excluded stations theblocking bar BI is shifted to the right to effect the suppression ofprinting and to block certain other functions as previously describedand at all stations wide portion of interponent bar 21l is shifted outof align ment with arm 212 of function lever 88 and contacts 21I, sothat the operation of function lever 88 at any station in response to acode combination occurring as part of the message to be transmitted willnot start another tape transmitter distributor. Thus it is not necessaryto provide a blocking ward on blocking bar 9| for function lever 88 andeven if the blocking bar 9! should be provided with a blocking ward forfunction lever 86 such blocking ward would not suppress the operation ofthe transmitter starting function lever 86 at stations participating inmessage transmission and reception because blocking bar 9i remains inits extreme left-hand position at those stations. By virtue of theshifting of interponent bar 2' out of effective position before messagetransmission begins code combinations representing message charactersmay be assigned to the selection of the function levers 88. at theseveral stations because the function levers 86 are disqualified againststarting their associated transmitter distributors before messagetransmission actually begins. If during transmission from the tape transmitter distributor 228 the loop in tape 42 should be taken up by thetransmitter, which may occur if the operation of keyboard perforator 243lags behind the operation of the transmitter distributor 228, the tauttape contacts 248 may be opened. These contacts will open the energizingcircuit for start magnet 231, but resistor 283 is connected in shuntwith start magnet 231 and taut tape contacts 248, so thatthe energizingcircuit for relay 258 will be maintained through resistor 283, manuallyoperable switch 252, tape out contacts 253 and the armature and frontcontact of relay 258.. As soon as a supply of tape is again available,as a result of further operation of the keyboard perforator 243, tauttape contacts 248 will reclose and reestablish the energizing circuitfor start magnet 231. By virtue of the provision of resistor 283, relay258 is not released to preclude further transmission when a taut tapecondition occurs, but is only released upon the opening of manuallyoperable switch 252 or of tape out contacts 253.

At the end of the message perforated in the tape 242 the end-of-messagesignal should be perforated and if there is to be no furthertransmission from this particular tape transmitter distributor the tapemay be severed from the supply in the keyboard perforator. When theend-ofmessage combination reaches the tape sensing position that signalwill be transmitted, causing the end-of-message function lever 82 to beoperated at all stations. This will cause the threearmed lever 288 atthe stations which were excluded and the three-armed lever 214 at allstations to be restored to their extreme counterclockwise positions. Asthe severed end of tape 242 runs through the tape sensing mechanism itcauses the tape out contacts 253 to open. In this way the energizingcircuit for start magnet 231 and relay 258 is interrupted, transmitterdistributor 228 is stopped, relay 258 interrupts its holding circuit andthe transmitter distributor cannot be restarted except by operation ofcontacts 28I.

Another way in which the system may be 010-- erated is to provide aheadof the message code perforations in tape 242 the station calling codecombinations for the station call function lever 83 at the station fromwhich the message is to be transmitted and at the stations which are toreceive the message, or the common group calling code combination foroperating the function lever 84 at all stations may be perforated in thetape. It is then necessary to transmit by means of the keyboardtransmitter I28 only the code combination for selecting the transmitterstart ing function lever 88, which will effect the closure of contacts2M and the starting of tape transmitter distributor 226. The codecombinations for selecting the local station and the stations that areto receive the message will be transmitted by the tape transmitterdistributor 228. These code combinations should be followed in the tapeby the carriage return code combination which is effective to excludeall other stations and to prevent the starting of a tape transmitterdistributor at any other station. The tape transmitter distributor willcontinue to operate, with the exception of possible interruptions underthe control of taut tape contacts 248 if the preparation of tape inkeyboard perforator 243 lags behind the transmission of signals from thetape, until the erable switch 252, tape out contacts 258 and taut,

tape contacts 248 are closed at the station at which the function lever86 is operated. Thus any one of the stations might be designated as aprincipal or central station to transmit in rotation or roll call mannerat stated intervals the transmitter starting code combinations for theseveral stations. Upon transmitting the transmitter starting code thestation having its transmitter starting function lever 36 responsive tothat code will momentarily close its contacts 26L If tape is containedin its transmitter distributor awaiting transmission and the manuallyoperable switch, tape out contacts and taut tape contacts are closed,the transmitter distributor will be started. At the station whichtransmitted the transm tter starting code combination one of threethings will happen. The receiving printer will be conditioned to receivethe message if the message is intended for that printer alone or alongwith other printers and this will inform the attendant that the calledtransmitter had tape awaiting transmission and has begun transmission.In the event that the printer at the station which initiated thetransmitter calling signal is to be excluded from receiving the messagethe selector mechanism of that printer will operate but printing will besuppressed. This will indicate to the attendant that the calledtransmitter had tape awaiting transmission but that the message was notintended for his station. Finally the selector mechanism of his printermay remain idle. This indicates that the called transmitter had no tapeawaiting transmission and the attendant may then transmit thetransmitter calling signal of the next station in the roll call and thisprocedure may be cont nued until a tape transmitter responds to thecalling signal and begins to transmit.

When the tape transmitter distributor 226 has once been activated byenergization of the relay 258, it continues to transmit until it isdisabled by opening of manually operable switch 252, by opening of tapeout contacts 253 or by opening of the send-receive-break contacts 256.Tape 242 may contain several messages intended for different stations ordifierent combinations of stations. Each of the several messages in thetape should be preceded by the calling or activating code combination ofthe printer at that station and of the stations which are to receive themessage and the carriage return lock-out code combination, and should befollowed by the endof-message code combination. At the completion oftransmission of any one of the messages the end of message signal willcause all of the stations to be restored to the idle condition, thestation calling signals will cause the several stations to beconditioned for message reception and the carriage return signal willexclude the stations which are not to receive the message. When themessage end signal at the end of the last message has been transmittedthe tape it severed will run out and eflect the release of thetransmitter and its controlling relay 258 as previously described.

It will be noted that whereas in the embodiment of the invention shownin Fig. 1 only the selector magnet II and the keyboard transmitter I26are in series with the line I28 at any station, in the embodiment shownin Fig. 2, the distributor of tape transmitter distributor 226 is addedto this series of elements so that the line circuit may be interruptedeither by the keyboard controlled transmitting contacts I26 or by thesegments of the distributor. As previously stated, when th blocking bar9| is shifted to its righthand position it closes contacts I38 whichshortcircuit the transmitting contacts I26 and prevent the opening ofthe line at those contacts. At the station shown in Fig. 2 the contactsI38 are connected in such a way that when ciosel they short-circuit thetape transmitter distributor as well as the keyboard transmitter, sothat neither can effect the opening and closing of line I28 whencontacts I38 are closed. It follows from this that when a tapetransmitter is placed in operation the receiving printer at that stationmust be one of those conditioned to receive the transmitted messagebecause if the printer is excluded from printing the message by theshifting of blocking bar 9i to its right-hand position contacts I38 willbe closed and the signals which the tape transmitter distributor 226attempts to generate will not be impressed upon the line.

The break contacts I21 have been so located in the station circuit thatthey are not effective to open the line circuit when the contacts I38are closed. This prevents excluded stations from interfering with orinterrupting transmission. If it is desired that any station whetherparticipating in message transmission or excluded, shall be capable oftransmittin a break signal, this may be accomplished by placing thebreak key I2'I in a different position in the portion of line I28associated with the station, such as ahead of selector magnet II. Withthe break key I21 so located the short-circuiting contacts I38 for thetransmitter do not short-circuit the break key and it is alwaysefiective to interrupt the line for effecting the transmission of abreak signal.

The inclusion of the send-receive-break contacts 256 in the energizingcircuit of relay 258 permits a station which is receiving a message fromthe tape transmitter distributor to stop transmission from the tape inorder to gain control of the line for the purpose of transmitting a rushmessage or for requesting the repeated transmission of a portion of themessage which may have been lost. The Morton et al. patent hereinbeforeidentified discloses contacts corresponding to the contacts 256 whichare operated in response to the reception of a break signal for stoppinga tape transmitter. These contacts upon being opened release the relay258 and the start magnet 23! in the same way that the tape out contacts253 release them and thus stop the transmitter and prevent it from beingrestarted, er cept in the manner hereinbefore described. The stationwhich transmitted the break signal may then transmit the request forrepeated transmission of a part of the message, or if it has a'rush"message to transmit, may transmit the end-ofmessage signal, thusrestoring all stations to normal, after which the signals for qualifyingstations to which the rush message is to be transmitted and forexcluding all other stations may be transmitted. Thereafter the rushmessage may be transmitted and this message should be followed by themessage end signal for restoring all of the stations to normalcondition.

When tape transmitter distributor 226 is to be restarted; it isnecessary for all stations to be in the normal condition in order thatcontacts 26I may be actuated. If the break signal was transmitted forthe purpose of permitting transmission of a rush message such messagewould ordinarily be followed by the message end signal as described inthe foregoing paragraph so that the stations will be restored to thenormal condition. If the break was transmitted for the purpose ofrequesting, retransmission of apart of the message from the tape, therequest could have been transmitted from one of the participatingstations without restoring the system to normal. Under thesecircumstances the attendant at the station where tape transmission hasbeen interrupted, such as at the station shown in detail in Fig. 2,should transmit the message end signal by means of keyboard transmitterI26 inorder to restore three-armed levers 209 and 214 to extremecounter-clockwise position. It is then necessary to transmit the codecombinations for qualifying the local printer to record the messagematerial which is about to be transmitted and the call signals for theother stations that had been receiving the message. Thereupon the tauttape lever should be lifted manually to open contacts 248, and thetransmitter starting code combination should be transmitted fromkeyboard transmitter I26 followed by the carriage return signal whicheffects the lock-out function. The opening of contacts 248 permits relay258 to become energized through contacts 26I and resistor 263 and toestablish its holding circuit through its armature and front contactwithout energizing start magnet 231. It is necessary to delay theenergization of the start magnet until after the look-out codecombination has been transmitted from the keyboard transmitter becausethe tape transmitter is probably to be restarted in the middle of amessage and the tape would contain no lock-out signal at that point. Ifthe tape transmitter should be started immediately and the look-outsignal should be transmitted from the keyboard transmitter I26, thatcode combination and one or more of the code combinations in tape 242would be mutilated. After the look-out code combination has beentransmitted from transmitter I26, the taut tape lever may be lowered toreclose the taut tape contacts 248 where upon start magnet 231 Will beenergized and transmission from the tape transmitter distributor 226will be resumed in the same manner, that transmission is resumed whenthe tape 242, having become taut due to slow operation of keyboardperforator 243 relative to the speed of operation of the tapetransmitter distributor, becomes slack as a result of acceleratedoperation of the keyboard perforator.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 3. In thisembodiment, the individual call function lever 03 and the group callfunction lever 84 have their forwardly extending arms WI and 302respectively, disposed in a stirrup carried at the lower end of a link303 which is pivotally supported at the end of the horizontallyextending arm of a bell crank lever 300 pivoted at 306. Bell crank lever304 is urged in counter-clockwise direction by a spring 301 to engagethe undercut portion of the free end of its downwardly extending armwith a stop lug 300 carried by a latching lever 309 pivoted at 3H andurged in counter-clockwise direction by spring 3I2. The downwardlyextending arm of bell crank lever 304 has a laterally projecting finger305 which is arranged to open normally closed contacts 3I3 when bellcrank lever 304 is rocked in clockwise direction by either of thestation call function levers 83 or 84. Upon the rocking of bell cranklever 304 in clockwise direction by either of the station callfunctionlevers, contacts 3I3 are opened and the free end of the downwardlyextending arm of the bell crank lever moves clear of a latching shoulder3I4 of latching lever 309, permitting spring 3I2 to rock the latchinglever in counter-clockwise direction to retain bell crank lever 304 inthe operated condition and thereby to hold contacts 3I3 open.

The carriage return or lock-out function lever 12 has a forwardlyextending arm 3I6 for momentarily closing a pair of normally open conofbattery 3I9. Electromagnet 3I8 is provided with an armature 33I carriedby an armature lever 332 which is articulated to blocking bar 9|.Armature lever 332 has a laterally extending arm 333 which closes a pairof contacts 334 and a' pair of contacts 336.

When the station call code combination or the group code combination istransmitted from any transmitter in the system, one or the other of thefunction levers 83 and 84 is operated to rock bell crank lever 304 toits' clockwise position through link 303, and the bell crank lever 304becomes latched in the operated position and opens contacts 3I3. Afterthe codes have been transmitted for calling all of the stations that areto participate in message transmission and reception, the carriagereturn and lock-out code combination is transmitted, which causes theselection of function lever 12 at all stations, thereby momentarilyclosing contacts 3I1. Electromagnet 3I8 will become energized at allstations which do not have their contacts 3I3 open and at those stationsblocking bar SI will be shifted to its right-hand position and contacts334 and 336 will be closed. Upon the closure of contacts 334 a holdingcircuit for electromagnet 3I8 is traced from the negative terminal ofbattery 3I9 through conductor 32I, the winding of the electromagnet,conductors 322 and 331, contacts 330, conductor 338, normally closedcontacts 339, and conductors 3, 326 and 321 to the positive terminal ofbattery H9. The electromagnet will be held energized over this circuitwhen contacts 3I1 reopen and will hold the station locked out againstmessage reception and the performance of certain functions by means ofthe blocking wards on blocking bar M which carry the same referencenumerals as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Contacts 336 correspond tocontacts I30 in Figs. 1 and 2 and are effective to short-circuit thekeyboard transmitter I26 so that the keyboard transmitters, if operatedat the locked-out or excluded stations, will not in terfere with messagetransmission on telegraph channel I20.

At the conclusion of message transmission the end-of-message codecombination is transmitted and this code causes the end-of-messagefunction levers 02 at all stations to be operated momentarily. Functionlever 81 has a forwardly extending arm 2 which has a notch 8" in itslower edge disposed above latching lever I09, and which has its free enddisposedv in operating relation to normally closed contacts '3". Notch Iin arm 2 of function lever 82 provides a clearance permitting latchinglever 309 to rock in counter-clockwise direction when bell crank 300 isrocked in clockwise direction without imparting any movement to functionlever 82. Upon the operation of function lever 82 contacts 339 aremomentarily opened at all stations and latching lever 80! is rocked inclockwise direction at those stations where contacts ii! are being heldopen, the latching lever in rocking in clockwise direction permittinglatching shoulder 3 to move clear of the undercut end of the downwardlyextending arm of bell crank lever 304 so that the bell crank lever maybe restored by spring "1 to its normal position engaging the lug 808 oflatching lever lili'and permitting contacts ill to reclose. Contacts 339are opened momentarily to interrupt the previously traced holdingcircuit for electromagnet 3l8 so that the armature of the electromagnetis released and the armature lever, under the influence of spring 3,restores blocking bar 9i to its left-hand position at the stations whichwere locked out, and permits contacts 334 and 336 to reopen.Electromagnet 3|! will not be reenergized upon the reclosure of contacts339 because the holding circuit will be open at the contacts 33!. Inthis way all stations are restored to their normal condition.

The recitation herein of the employment of certain code combinations forperforming certain functions involved in the selection of stations toreceive messages or the disqualification of stations, such as the use ofthe carriage return signal and function lever to perform the lockoutfunction, is by way of illustration only and is not to be interpreted asspecifying the combining of the lock-out with the carriage returnfunction nor in any way limiting the disclosure to the assignment ofparticular code combinations to particular station selecting,disqualifying or restoring functions. It will be understood that thecode combinations may be assigned to the various functions entirely inaccordance with convenience and may differ in different installations ofsystems in accordance with the several embodiments of the invention.

,Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownin the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to such specificembodiments but is capable of modification and rearrangement withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of selectable elements individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, a plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of selectable elements, means for operatingsaid printing members following the selection of their selectableelements, normally disabled means for withholding said printing memberoperating means from operating and means controlled by one of saidselectable elements for precluding enablement of said withholding means.

2. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of seenabling said withholding means whereby tosuppress printing.

3. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of selectable elements individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, a plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of said selectable elements, means foroperating said printing members following the selection of theirselectable elements, normally disabled means for withholding saidprinting member operating means from operating, means controlled by oneof said selectable elements for precluding enablement of saidwithholding means, means controllable by another of said selectableelements provided said precluding means is unoperated for enabling saidwithholding means whereby to suppress printing, and means controlled byanother of said selectable elements for restoring said withholding meansto disabled condition.

4. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of selectable elements individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, a plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of said selectable elements, means foroperating said printing members following the selection of theirselectable elements, normally disabled means for withholding saidprinting member operating means from operating, means controlled by oneof said selectable elements for precluding enablement of saidwithholding means, means controllable by another of said selectableelements provided said'precluding means is unoperated for enabling saidwithholding means whereby to suppress printing, and means controlled byanother of said selectable elements for restoring said withholding meansto disabled condition, each of said other selectable elements having noprinting member associated therewith.

5. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of printing members individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, means for actuating said printing members uponselection thereof, means permissibly operable by said printing memberactuating means for restricting said printing member actuating meansshort of printing member actuation, means for blocking restrictingoperations of said restricting means, a plurality of other membersselectable by said selector mechanism, and means controlled by one ofsaid other members for operating said blocking means to inefiectiverelation to said restricting means, whereby to cause said restrictingmeans to operate to suppress printing.

6. In a printing telegraph receiver. a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of printing members individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, means for actuating said printing members uponselection thereof, means permissibly operable by said printing memberactuating means for restricting said printing member actuating meansshort of printing member actuation, means for blocking restrictingoperation of said restricting means, a plurality of other membersselectable by said selector mechanism, means controlled by one of saidother members for operating said blocking means to ineffective relationto said restrictingmeans whereb to cause said restricting means tooperate to suppress printing, and means associated with said blockingmeans for blocking a plurality of said other members upon being operatedto ineffective relation to said restricting means.

7. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a plurality of printing members individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, means for actuating said printing members uponselection thereof, means permissibly operable by said printing memberactuating means for restricting said printing member actuating meansshort of printing mem ber actuation, means for blocking restrictingoperation of said restricting means, a plurality of other membersselectable by said selector mechanism, means controlled by one of saidother membersfor operating said blocking means to ineffective relationto said restricting means whereby to cause said restricting meanstosuppress printing, and means controlled by another of said other membersfor causing said blocking means to be restored to blocking relation tosaid restricting means.

8. In a printing telegraph set, a signal responsive selector mechanism,a plurality of printing members individually selectable by' saidselector mechanism, means for actuating said printing members uponselection thereof, means permissibly operable by said printing memberactuating means for restricting said printing member actuatin meansshort of printing member actuation, means for blocking restrictingoperation of said restricting means, a plurality of other membersselectable by said selector mechanism, means controlled by one of saidother members for operating said blocking means to ineffective relationto said restricting means whereby to cause said restricting means tosuppress printing, a transmitter, and means operable in conjunction withoperation of said blocking means to ineffective relation to saidrestricting means to disable said transmitter.

9, In a communication system, a communication channel, a plurality oftelegraph stations associated with said channel, means at a minimum ofone of said stations for impressing telegraph signals on said channel, asignal responsive selector mechanism at each of said stations, aplurality of selectable elements individually selectable by each of saidselector mechanisms, a plurality of printing members individuallyassociated with certain of said selectable elements, means .foroperating said printin members following the selection of theirselectable elements and means at each of said stations mechanicallycontrolled by certain of said selectable elements for withholding saidprinting member operating means from operating whereby to suppressprinting in response to message signals thereafter impressed on saidchannel.

10. In a conununication system, a communication channel, a plurality oftelegraph stations associated with said channel, means at a minimum ofone of said stations for impressing telegraph signals on said channel, asignal responsive selector mechanism at each of said stations, aplurality of selectable element 'individually selectable by each of saidselector mechanisms, a plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of said selectable elements, means foroperating said printing members following the selection of theirselectable elements, normally disabled means at each of said stationsfor withholding said printing member operating means from operating, andmeans at each of said stations controlled by a differently codedselectable element for precluding enablement of said withholding means.

11. In a communication system, a communication channel, a plurality oftelegraph stations associated with said channel, means at a minimum ofone of said stations for impressing telegraph signals on said channel, asignal responsive selector mechanism at each of said stations, aplurality of selectable elements individually selectable by each of saidselector mechanisms, 9. plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of said selectable elements, means foroperating said printing members, following the selection of theirselectable elements, normally disabled means at each of said stationsfor withholding said printing member operating means from operating,means at each of said stations controlled by a difierently codedselectable element for precluding enablement of said withholding means,and means at each of said stations controlled by a commonly codedselectable element for enabling all others of said withholding meanswhereby to suppress printing.

12. In a communication system, a communication channel, a plurality oftelegraph stations associated with said channel, means at a minimum ofone of said stations for impressing telegraph signals on said channel, asignal responsive selector mechanism at each of said stations, aplurality of selectable elements individually selectable by each of saidselector mechanisms, a plurality of printing members associatedindividually with certain of said selectable elements, means foroperating the printing members following the selection of theirselectable elements, normally disabled means at each of said stationsfor withholdin said printin member operating means from operating, meansat each of said stations controlled by a difierently coded selectableelement for precluding enablement of said withholding means, means ateach of said stations controlled by a commonly coded selectable elementfor enabling all others of said withholding means whereby to suppressprinting, and means at each of said stations controlled by anothercommonly coded selectable element for restoring said enabled withholdingmeans to disabled condition.

13. In a printing telegraph receiver, a signal responsive selectormechanism, a printing mechanism controllable thereby, a plurality ofselectable elements individually selectable by said selector mechanism,a universal selectable element operable to stop printing operation ofsaid printing mechanism, blocking means operable between normal andofi-normal position having a blocking ward normally presented inblocking relation to said universal selectable element and having otherblocking wards normally presented out of blocking relation to certain ofsaid individually selectable element, means controlled by one of saidindividually selectable elements for operating said blocking means toofi-normal position to cause said universal selectable element to beunblocked and said certain of said individually selectable elements tobe blocked by said blockmechanism, a blocking bar operable betweennormal and oil-normal positions having a blocking ward normallypresented in blocking relation to said universal selectable element andhavin other blocking wards normally presented out of blocking relationto certain of said individually selectable elements, means controlled byone of said individually selectable elements for operating said blockingbar to oft-normal position to cause said universal selectable element tobe.

unblocked and said certain of said individually selectable elements tobe blocked by said blocking wards, and means controlled by another ofsaid individually selectable elements for restoring said blocking bar tonormal position, certain of said blocking wards being yieldably mountedon said blocking bar to accommodate movement of said blocking bar whilethe selectable elements served by said yieldably mounted wards areoperating.

15. In a printing telegraph set, a transmitter, a signal responsiveselector mechanism, a printing mechanism controllable thereby, aplurality of selectable elements individually selectable by saidselector mechanism, a universal selectable element operable to estopprinting operation of said printing mechanism, a blocking bar operablebetween normal and off-normal positions having a blocking ward normallypresented in blocking relation to said universal selectable element, andhaving other blocking wards normally presented out of blocking relationto certain of said individually selectable elements, means controlled byone or said individually selectable elements for operating said blockingbar to offnormal position to cause said universal selectable element tobe unblocked and said certain of said individually selectable elementsto be blocked by said blocking wards, means controlled by said blockingbar upon operation thereof to off-normal position for disabling saidtransmitter, and means controlled by another of said individuallyselectable elements for restoring said blocking bar to normal position.

16. In a printing telegraph set, a storage transmitter, a signalresponsive selector mechanism, a printing mechanism controllablethereby, a lurality of selectable elements individually selectable bysaid selector mechanism, a universal element operable to estop printingoperation oi said printing mechanism, a blocking bar operable betweennormal and ofi-normal positions having a blocking ward normallypresented in blocking relation to said universal selectable element,means controlled by one of said individually selectable elements foroperating said blocking bar to oil-normal position to cause saiduniversal selectable element to be unblocked, means controlled byanother 01 said individually selectable elements for restoring saidblocking bar to normal position, and means controllable by another ofsaid individually selectable elements when said blocking bar is in thenormal L JSitlOl'l for setting in operation said storage transmitter.

17. In a printing telegraph set, a tape transmitter, a signal responsiveselector mechanism, a printing mechanism controllable thereby, aplurality oi selectable elements individually selectable by saidselector mechanism, a universal selectable element operable to estopprinting operation of saidprinting mechanism, a blocking bar operablebetween normal and off-normal positions having a blocking ward normallypresented in blocking relation to said universal selectable element,means controlled by one or said individually selectable elements foroperating said blocking bar to off-normal position to cause said,universal selectable element to be unblocked,

means controlled by another of said individually selectable elements forrestoring said blocking means to normal position, means controllable byanother of said individually selectable elements when said blocking baris in normal position for setting said tape transmitter in operation,and means associated with said transmitter for preventing the setting inoperation thereoi when said transmitter is without a tape containingsignals awaiting transmission.

18. In a telegraph system, a communication channel, a plurality oftelegraph receivers associated withsaid channel, at least one keyboardtransmitter and at least one storage type transmitter also associatedwith said channel, a signal 40 responsive selector mechanism in each ofsaid receivers, printing mechanism controllable by said selectormechanisms, a plurality oi selectable elements selectable by saidselector mechanisms, a universal selectable element operable to estopprinting operation of said printing mechanisms, a blocking bar operablebetween normal and oil-normal positions having a blocking ward normallypresented in blocking relation to said universal selectable element,means controlled by one of said selectable elements for operating saidblocking bar to off-normal position to cause said universal selectableelement to be unblocked, means controlled by another of said selectableelements for restoring said blocking bar to normal position, and meanscontrollable by another of said selectable elements upon response ofsaid selector mechanisms to an appro riate signal transmitted by saidkeyboard transmitter and provided said blocking bar is in the normalposition for setting in operation said storage type transmitter.

WILMARTH Y. LANG.

